We have now been asked to fund a Blood Sampling Machine for the Emily Kent Unit which will prevent the children with cancer and their families waiting around for the blood results.

The children come in first thing in the morning and have blood taken which then goes to the testing centre in the hospital and, depending how busy they are, can come back in one or a few hours. This can cause the child anxiety whilst waiting and problems for the parents if more than one child is waiting with the child with cancer.

The blood machine tests the blood in 45 seconds and will stay on the Emily Kent Unit. They have one in Bristol Children’s Hospital and one parent said that it was a “Game Changer cutting down waiting time and causes less stress amongst the whole family.”

At the moment the price is unknown but we will be going for it anyway!!

If you can help please get in contact.

Emily Kent was a quiet, gentle little girl. From the age of two Emily started to fall over, was reluctant to walk too far and seemed a little unsteady at times. Following an eye test, Emily was referred to an eye specialist who advised that a scan was required.

On 8th December 1994, Emily had her scan and was immediately admitted to Frenchay Hospital where she was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma in the back of her brain. The prognosis was never good and the cancer spread down her spine. To relieve the pressure a shunt was fitted in the front of her head. However, she never managed to walk again.

At Christmas 1994, Emily began chemotherapy at the Bristol Children’s Hospital and her parents, Julie and Bernard Kent, were warned that there were no assurances as to how her little body would react.

For six long months, with only short spells at home, they spent most of their time in hospital while Emily had treatment at either Bristol or Gloucester. Emily was three years old and trialling some stem cell treatment in Bristol when she died on 15th June 1995 with Julie and Bernard by her side.